If you’re planning a home renovation, the likelihood of you taking on the task of project management is high. Initially, this is one route you could take to help save money on the work overall. However, our blog will show that avoiding hiring a project manager isn’t always the best thing to do, but if you’re set on doing it yourself, here are some things you’ll need to know when project managing a house renovation.
What is the Role of a Project Manager on a Home Renovation?
The role of a project manager is to take on the individual elements from drawings and plans to fixtures and fittings and plan out the build from start to finish, including dates and budgeting.
In addition, a project manager can oversee the builders and contractors, including building control and health and safety. A good project manager has excellent communication with the builders on-site to keep the build moving along at a good pace.
We explore tips from people who have renovated their own homes on things they wish they knew before they started, helpful tips on how to maximise the experience and advice from other builders, architects, and construction managers to make the process run as smoothly as possible for you.
Project Managing is a Full-Time Job
If you’re having substantial work done to your home, such as a second-floor extension or a full renovation of the downstairs, you will have a lot of work to do managing the process. From materials and deliveries to measurements and quick decisions — your project management and communication will take up a lot more time than you’ll first realise.
If you try to manage the workload alongside a full-time job and other commitments, you may find that you delay the build slightly, so even if you want to take control of the whole task, outsource as much as you can as soon as it starts to feel unmanageable.
Planning Doesn’t Always go to Plan
You’ve probably heard this time and time again: when it comes to building work, you need to plan, plan and plan again. But, realistically, there will still be errors, and the best thing to do as a project manager is allow for them in your plan and budget. Always prepare for the worst-case scenario but hope and plan for the best.
Things Move Quickly on a Building Site
The builders or other tradespeople working on your house renovation are professionals who have usually been doing this career most of their lives. This means that they know exactly what they’re doing and can work at speed without compromising quality. This is a great attribute to have, but if you’re project managing your first build and you’re not keeping up with the fast pace developments, or you’re not around to answer questions quickly, this could slow down the overall process.
Great if you work from home or are regularly available to discuss the intricacies of a build, but if you haven’t planned everything out, measured every inch of your build and have all the documentation ready to go, you’ll need to get to it as soon as possible.
Check the Rules and Regulations
Having the right permissions and approvals in place is vital before you start any part of your build. If you were to hire in help for project management from an architect, they can help with this element but if you’re taking this on yourself, make sure that you check with your local authority on what building regulations are required for the size of your build, if access rights are in place, whether there are any obstacles to overcome such as pipework under your property — as well as planning permission.
Find out more about permitted development rights.
Keep Your Neighbours in the Loop
Having builders and scaffolding on your property for a long time can be a hindrance causing dust and noise, but it can also be a nuisance for your neighbours who also experience some disruption from your build. Whilst not an exclusive task of a project manager, it’s nice to update them on your plans and keep them on side throughout the process.
Work with your Builder
In the absence of a professional architect or project manager, lean on your builder for queries and get their opinion on if your vision is possible or the best thing to do for your space. If you’ve got a good, helpful builder, they’ll usually offer up advice as it can also make their life easier.
Hiring a Professional Tradesperson
If you’ve decided that you’d prefer to work with a professional or lean on an expert for support, we’ve got an extensive list of experienced building professionals such as project managers, architects and builders and planners that you can hire to help your build run as smoothly as possible. For peace of mind and alleviating stress, sometimes hiring in support is the best thing to do for you and your home build.
If you’re planning a home renovation, the likelihood of you taking on the task of project management is high. Initially, this is one route you could take to help save money on the work overall. However, our blog will show that avoiding hiring a project manager isn’t always the best thing to do, but if you’re set on doing it yourself, here are some things you’ll need to know when project managing a house renovation.
What is the Role of a Project Manager on a Home Renovation?
The role of a project manager is to take on the individual elements from drawings and plans to fixtures and fittings and plan out the build from start to finish, including dates and budgeting.
In addition, a project manager can oversee the builders and contractors, including building control and health and safety. A good project manager has excellent communication with the builders on-site to keep the build moving along at a good pace.
We explore tips from people who have renovated their own homes on things they wish they knew before they started, helpful tips on how to maximise the experience and advice from other builders, architects, and construction managers to make the process run as smoothly as possible for you.
Project Managing is a Full-Time Job
If you’re having substantial work done to your home, such as a second-floor extension or a full renovation of the downstairs, you will have a lot of work to do managing the process. From materials and deliveries to measurements and quick decisions — your project management and communication will take up a lot more time than you’ll first realise.
If you try to manage the workload alongside a full-time job and other commitments, you may find that you delay the build slightly, so even if you want to take control of the whole task, outsource as much as you can as soon as it starts to feel unmanageable.
Planning Doesn’t Always go to Plan
You’ve probably heard this time and time again: when it comes to building work, you need to plan, plan and plan again. But, realistically, there will still be errors, and the best thing to do as a project manager is allow for them in your plan and budget. Always prepare for the worst-case scenario but hope and plan for the best.
Things Move Quickly on a Building Site
The builders or other tradespeople working on your house renovation are professionals who have usually been doing this career most of their lives. This means that they know exactly what they’re doing and can work at speed without compromising quality. This is a great attribute to have, but if you’re project managing your first build and you’re not keeping up with the fast pace developments, or you’re not around to answer questions quickly, this could slow down the overall process.
Great if you work from home or are regularly available to discuss the intricacies of a build, but if you haven’t planned everything out, measured every inch of your build and have all the documentation ready to go, you’ll need to get to it as soon as possible.
Check the Rules and Regulations
Having the right permissions and approvals in place is vital before you start any part of your build. If you were to hire in help for project management from an architect, they can help with this element but if you’re taking this on yourself, make sure that you check with your local authority on what building regulations are required for the size of your build, if access rights are in place, whether there are any obstacles to overcome such as pipework under your property — as well as planning permission.
Find out more about permitted development rights.
Keep Your Neighbours in the Loop
Having builders and scaffolding on your property for a long time can be a hindrance causing dust and noise, but it can also be a nuisance for your neighbours who also experience some disruption from your build. Whilst not an exclusive task of a project manager, it’s nice to update them on your plans and keep them on side throughout the process.
Work with your Builder
In the absence of a professional architect or project manager, lean on your builder for queries and get their opinion on if your vision is possible or the best thing to do for your space. If you’ve got a good, helpful builder, they’ll usually offer up advice as it can also make their life easier.
Hiring a Professional Tradesperson
If you’ve decided that you’d prefer to work with a professional or lean on an expert for support, we’ve got an extensive list of experienced building professionals such as project managers, architects and builders and planners that you can hire to help your build run as smoothly as possible. For peace of mind and alleviating stress, sometimes hiring in support is the best thing to do for you and your home build.
project management tips
Leave a Reply